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Former Berlin man to be sentenced April 1 for credit union robbery

BERLIN – A former Berlin man arrested for robbing the Guardian Angel Credit Union two years ago was convicted in U.S. District Court last week on a charge of armed robbery.

Daniel Ray Hufstetler is in custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for April 1, 2014. He is facing up to 20 years in federal prison.

The armed robbery occurred Nov. 14, when Hufstetler entered the credit union just before 3 p.m. wearing sunglasses, white cotton gloves and a black hat. He went up to a teller, pulled out a pistol and demanded money. He made off with $3,450.

Witnesses were able to tell police he got away in a dark blue Chevy Cavalier driven by a dark-haired, heavy-set female in her 20s to 30s. Hufstetler and Sheena Craig, believed to be the getaway driver, were taken into custody a couple of days later.

Police believe the motive for the robbery was to get money to pay rent. Hufstetler, who had recently been laid off from Steel Elements, and Craig, along with two children, had been living in an apartment on High Street and were about to get evicted. Just 17 minutes after the robbery, $925 in back rent was deposited in the landlord's account.

Hufstetler had been charged with armed robbery and Craig with conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Hufstetler had felony convictions for assault, burglary and theft in Georgia and Pennsylvania. Craig had no prior record.

Hufstetler was later arrested on federal bank robbery charges. At that time the state charges against him were dismissed. Charges against Craig were dismissed without prejudice by Coos County Superior Court after the Coos County attorney's office failed to indict her within 90 days.

Although the U.S. Attorney's Office looked into filing charges against her, they never did. According to a press released put out by U.S. Attorney John P. Kacavas' office, the investigation involved the cooperative efforts of federal and local law enforcement entitites, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the N.H. State Police, the Berlin Police Department, the Coos County Sheriff's Office and the N.H. Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Farley.